


Pushing Stubborn Brothers Off Cliffs

by Zetal (Rodinia)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Dean Is Not Very Good at Planning Romantic Encounters, M/M, Shipper!Dean, ace!cas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-26
Updated: 2016-10-26
Packaged: 2018-08-27 03:19:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8385190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rodinia/pseuds/Zetal
Summary: All Dean wants is for his best friend and his brother to be happy.  He knows they'd make each other happier than anyone else could make them.  Unfortunately, they're both stubborn, oblivious, and insecure.  Dean tries to administer the badly-needed push.
Underage Note: Sam is 16, Cas is 19.  Nothing even remotely explicit is depicted or alluded to except to say "not happening".





	

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this prompt from @otpprompts:
> 
> Person A of your OTP is best friends with Person B’s sibling. Person A makes it obvious they like Person B, but denies it every time they’re asked about it. Both Person A and Person B think their love is unrequited. Person B’s sibling knows very well that Person B has never been in a relationship, and that Person B very much likes Person A. Person B’s sibling does everything they can to get Person A and Person B together.
> 
> (So sorry about the title, I'm terrible at them.)

Dean plopped down in front of Cas and stole his book. “Cas, I need a straight answer.”

Cas froze. This couldn’t be good. Dean never got like this except where Sam was concerned, and there was no way Cas could tell Dean the truth on that one. Dean would kill him. So he had to lie to his best friend while promising not to. “What’s the question?”

“Do you like Sam?”

Cas did his best to play puzzled. “Of course I like Sam. Aside from you, he’s my best friend. Why do you ask?”

Dean rolled his eyes and crossed his arms in front of him. “You know damn well that’s not what I meant, Cas. Do you have feelings for Sam?”

Castiel sighed. This is where he had to lie. “Dean, he’s three years younger than me. I like him like a little brother, but that’s all.”

“Look, Cas. What’s this hesitancy about? Are you worried about me?”

Even though he knew it was not at all what Dean meant by it, Cas shot Dean an incredulous look as he reclaimed his textbook. “I like you like a brother, too. Come on, you know better. Now if you don’t mind, I have studying to do. History test in three days. If you see Sam, maybe send him up? I wouldn’t mind his help with this.”

Dean rolled his eyes so hard that he missed Sam practically fleeing down the hall as he left.

 

Cas was a bit of a weirdo and he knew it. He didn’t trust computers. So taking his history test drove him crazy – had to be done online. He would admit to there being at least one benefit – immediate feedback. The essay was pending, but on the objective part, he’d only missed one question. He texted Dean to let him know he was done and then called Sam.

Sam answered almost immediately. “Hey! Dean said to tell you to meet us at the diner, get some ice cream to celebrate you doing well.”

“Is he there?” That was fast.

“Nah. He told me this right after you left this morning. Why?”

“How did he know I would do well?" Cas narrowed his eyes. "Did he put Charlie up to something?”

Sam laughed. “No, Cas, it’s called having faith in your friends. Come on. How’d you do?”

“I’ve got a 78, and the essay can add up to 20 points to that,” Castiel admitted a little sheepishly. “Go ahead. Tease me for losing sleep over this.”

“That’s awesome, Cas. I’m not gonna tease you. I’m gonna buy you ice cream. See you in fifteen?”

 

Cas should probably have expected it. He showed up, Sam was there, and Dean wasn’t. He slid into the booth beside Sam. “Where’s Dean?”

Sam scooted over to make a little more room for him. “He texted to say he’d be late and we shouldn’t wait for him to order. Congratulations, by the way.”

“I could have done better, but I mixed up a couple of battles in World War 1. I’m sorry.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “One question, Cas. No one expects you to be perfect.”

Castiel hung his head a little. Of course they didn't expect perfection, but Sam deserved it for all his tutoring. “You worked so hard helping me memorize everything, and I let you down.”

“No, you did not. I’ll hold off full approval until we see your essay marks, but right now, I’m thinking you did good and can stop worrying yourself over this. Eat some ice cream.” Sam shoved a menu over to Cas. “They have that honey sundae you love so much.”

“Ooh!” Finally, Cas relaxed a little. He went right back on guard when the waitress came to take their orders and smirked a little at them. This was not what he had to admit it would look like to an outsider. Sam blushing a little when he caught the smirk and stammering through ordering his chocolate monstrosity was not helping. It was too darn cute.

 

Dean never showed up. An hour later, Cas and Sam’s ice cream long gone, Dean texted and said he’d gotten caught up with helping Charlie review for a computer test. That night, Castiel found Dean. “What was that?”

“What was what?” Dean took a giant bite of pie.

“Not showing up this afternoon.”

“Charlie…”

Cas wrinkled his nose as the crumbs sprayed on Dean’s bed. “Doesn’t have a test for the next two weeks. So what were you doing?”

Dean grinned, not the least bit apologetic. “I was busy being not there. You and Sam have fun?”

“Dean, I told you. It’s not like that. Sam was quite embarrassed by the whole thing.” Not that Castiel hadn’t secretly enjoyed it, except for realizing how upset Sam was about Dean’s not showing. “Don’t do that again.”

“Whatever you say. You’re an idiot, but fine.” Dean shoved more pie in his mouth and turned back to his movie.

 

“Dean. This is _not funny_.” Castiel threw the letter at his friend. “Sam didn’t write that.”

Dean took the letter. “Write what?” He started laughing as he read it. “Sam wrote you a love letter? Wow. I knew he had it bad for you, but this is… this is amazing.”

“Sam did nothing. Someone else wrote this.” Someone named Dean - or if not Dean, someone who had been wrangled into it by Dean. Castiel would bet his entire sword collection.

Dean raised an eyebrow at him. “How do you know?”

“Because Sam’s been helping me develop my writing skills, so I’m very familiar with his writing style. This is not his voice.” It wasn't really Dean's, either, but Dean would have been trying to hide who actually wrote it.

“So what makes you think I did it? I assume that’s why you’re interrupting me in the middle of figuring out this math homework.”

“Of course that’s why I’m here! Who else would try to make me think Sam…”

“What about me?” Sam poked his head in.

Dean handed him the letter. “Cas thinks I wrote this.”

Sam took the letter and almost immediately went scarlet. “Cas, I didn’t… this isn’t… I didn’t write this. I don’t… it wasn’t me.”

“I know, Sam. I thought it was Dean. He’s been… annoying, lately.” Cas looked over at Dean, who was still cackling a little. “I may be wrong.”

“Dean, knock it off. Stop harassing me and Cas. I would hate to see what you’d do to people you don’t like if this is how you treat your friends.” Sam balled up the letter and threw it at Dean before storming off.

Cas was torn, but decided to stay and yell at Dean. “See that? Even if I did like Sam the way you think I do, he’s mortified by the idea. So quit pushing it before you ruin a friendship.”

Dean got to his feet. He had his serious face on. “He’s mortified by the idea of you finding out that he likes you that way. He’s got this ridiculous idea that he’s too young and stupid for you, despite tutoring you, and that you’d never even think twice about him. That he’s lucky you put up with the tagalong little brother barging in on your friendship with me. Now I don’t know what the hell your problem is, but I do know you love him. You’re a terrible liar, and an even worse actor. So get over yourself and go tell Sam that. No excuses. Just talk to him and tell him the goddamn truth.” He shoved Cas out into the hall and slammed his door.

 

Cas found Sam lying on his bed, face down in his pillow. “Sam? May I come in?”

Sam sat up, his face still pinker than usual. “I’m so sorry about Dean. He’s… he’s an idiot. I know you don’t see me that way. I’m just happy to be a little brother, really.”

“Dean’s been harassing you, too?” Cas took a seat on the bed, near Sam, but didn’t let himself reach out to touch his friend.

“Yeah. He’s got this crazy idea that you like me like…" Sam shook his head. "But it doesn’t matter, because I know you don’t. I heard you tell him that. So I don’t know why he keeps trying to set me up to get hurt and ruin a friendship.”

“Sam? Do you…” Castiel stared at Sam, completely shocked. He’d thought there was no way Dean was right. “ _Do_ you like me like that?”

“Oh god.” Sam flopped back onto his pillow, muffling his voice. “I’m sorry. I didn’t… I’m going to kill Dean.”

“Don’t do that.” Castiel reached out and put a hand on Sam’s shoulder. “Sam, I lied to Dean. You’re everything I want. Everything I’ve ever wanted. But I’m… you deserve so much more than what I have to give.”

“Bull.”

Castiel swallowed hard. This was going to be incredibly difficult. “Just hear me out, Sam. I…”

Sam propped himself up to look Castiel in the eyes. “You’re sex-repulsed. I know." Castiel blinked and stared. How had... "I heard you trying to explain that to Dean after he took you to that strip club for your eighteenth birthday. But Cas, I’m not Dean. I wouldn’t call myself asexual, but I don’t care nearly as much about sex as I do about love. You’re not aro, are you?”

“No…”

Sam's face lit up. “Then I think we can make it work.”

“You’re sixteen. You don’t…”

“Exactly. I’m sixteen. Raging hormones, random moments of being turned on by a freaking gust of wind… and I’m willing to say I don’t need sex to be happy. I know it’s kinda weird, having a nineteen-year-old boyfriend at my age, but Dean seems to accept the idea, it’s not like you’re going to try to knock me up or make me quit school or anything. I trust you, and more importantly, Dean trusts you. So it’s not just my teenage judgment here.”

“What about your dad?”

Sam snorted. “Dad thinks you’re in love with Dean. Ignore him. But Aunt Ellen knows how I feel about you and she’ll want to have a word with you about how you treat me, but she thinks it’s a better idea than a lot of others she’s heard.”

“What’s wrong with…”

“No, just a reminder to keep treating me well, or you’re going to have problems with her. So any other excuses why you’re not gonna let us both have what we want?”

“I… I guess not.” Castiel carefully eased himself down on the bed to lie beside Sam. “Sam, you really want this? It’s not just some fleeting crush?”

“Fleeting crushes don’t tend to last three years, Cas.”

“Three years?”

“Three years. Not counting my goofy three-year-old crush on Dean because I didn’t understand, you were my first crush. So far, only real crush.”

Castiel smiled and pulled Sam into his arms. “Okay. Come here and help me figure out how we get vengeance on Dean for the embarrassment.”

Sam’s face lit up in an evil smile. “Lisa. I'll warn her.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments make the love happen!


End file.
